Respiratory Diseases Claim Thousands of Lives Every Year

14 December 2017 – Respiratory diseases
from seasonal influenza takes up to 650,000 lives annually,
according to new estimates released Thursday by the United
Nations health agency and global partners.

“These
figures indicate the high burden of influenza and its
substantial social and economic cost to the world,” Dr.
Peter Salama, Executive Director of the World Health
Organization’s (WHO) Health Emergencies Programme said
on Thursday.

“They highlight the importance of influenza
prevention for seasonal epidemics, as well as preparedness
for pandemics,” he added.

This marks an increase of the
previous global estimate of 250,000 – 500,000 from over
ten years ago, which covered all influenza-related deaths,
including cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

The new
figures of 290,000 – 650,000 deaths are based on recent
data from more diverse countries and exclude deaths from
non-respiratory diseases. They consider findings from recent
influenza respiratory mortality studies, including by the
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC).

According to CDC, most deaths occur among people
aged over 75 years, and in the world’s poorest regions.
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for the world’s greatest flu
mortality risk, followed closely by the Eastern
Mediterranean and Southeast Asia.

“All countries, rich
and poor, large and small, must work together to control
influenza outbreaks before the arrival of the next
pandemic,” continued Dr. Salama. “This includes building
capacity to detect and respond to outbreaks, and
strengthening health systems to improve the health of the
most vulnerable and those most at risk.”

Nearly all
deaths among children under five with influenza-related
lower respiratory tract infections occur in developing
countries, but the effects of seasonal influenza epidemics
on the world’s poorest are not fully known.

WHO is
working with partners to measure the global influenza burden
and its economic consequences, and to provide guidance and
expertise to Member States.

Further surveillance and
laboratory studies of other diseases, which can be
influenza-related, are expected to yield substantially
higher estimates over the next few years.

WHO encourages
countries to prioritize influenza prevention and produce
national estimates to inform prevention
policies.

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